The Portable Film School: Everything You'd Learn in Film School (Without Ever Going to Class) [Paperback]

D.B. Gilles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2005

The Portable Film School is a private tutorial from an instructor at one of the nation’s most prestigious film schools. D.B. Gilles explains the fundamental skills and techniques of screenwriting and making a short film arming you with the two calling cards you’ll need to break into Hollywood – without having spent the tuition or a minute in a classroom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Portable Film School should be mandatory reading not just for those unable to go to film school, but for anyone thinking about it or even currently attending it."
--David Benullo, former student and co-writer of the screenplay for Around The World In 80 Days

"A crash course in a film school education. The Portable Film School is rated "R" for required reading."
--Sheldon Woodbury, author of Cool Million: How to Become A Million-Dollar Screenwriter, and screenwriting professor in the Department of Dramatic Writing at New York University

"An excellent starter set for the fledgling filmmaker."
--David McKenna, professor at Columbia University, Film Division

"Not only is The Portable Film School loaded with pertinent and valuable information told in an easy to absorb style but also it's truly enjoyable and fun to be in his "class." This instructor deserves high marks himself!"
--Rick Rosenberg, Chris/Rose Productions, Emmy and Peabody Award Winning Producer. "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman," Miramax's "Down In The Delta," A&E's "The Crossing"

From the Back Cover

"Just when you think there aren't anymore books to write about filmmaking, here comes D.B. Gilles' The Portable Film School: a wonderful on-paper process that shows you how to write screenplays and make both short and long films. Ideal for anyone who doesn't go to film school."
--Lew Hunter, screenwriter, author of Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434, and UCLA Screenwriting Professor and Chair Emeritus
"Will completely de-mystify the process of making a movie. Everything you need to know is here; you'll only have to supply the guts and a good story."
--Chris Vogler, Former Fox development executive and author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

"The Portable Film School should be mandatory reading not just for those unable to go to film school, but for anyone thinking about it or even currently attending it."
--David Benullo, former student and co-writer of the screenplay for Around The World In 80 Days

"A crash course in a film school education. The Portable Film School is rated "R" for required reading."
--Sheldon Woodbury, author of Cool Million: How to Become A Million-Dollar
Screenwriter, and screenwriting professor in the Department of Dramatic Writing at New York University

"An excellent starter set for the fledgling filmmaker."
--David McKenna, professor at Columbia University, Film Division

"Not only is The Portable Film School loaded with pertinent and valuable information told in an easy to absorb style but also it's truly enjoyable and fun to be in his "class." This instructor deserves high marks himself!"
--Rick Rosenberg, Chris/Rose Productions, Emmy and Peabody Award Winning Producer. "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman," Miramax’s "Down In The Delta," A&E’s "The Crossing"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (September 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312347383
• ISBN-13: 978-0312347383
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

2011 marks the publication of 2 books by D.B. Gilles. YOU'RE FUNNY! TURN YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR INTO A LUCRATIVE NEW CAREER and THE SCREENWRITER WITHIN: NEW STRATEGIES TO FINISH YOUR SCREENPLAY & GET A DEAL (the 2nd edition of THE SCREENWRITER WITHIN published in 2000 by Random House).

THE PORTRABLE FILM SCHOOL, published in 2005, continues to be a popular book with young filmmakers unable to go to film school.

D.B. Gilles is also one of the most in-demand Script Consultants and Writing Coaches in the United States. He is on the faculty of the Undergraduate Film & Television Department at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he teaches screenwriting, television writing and comedy writing.

He has also taught in the Graduate Film Department at Columbia University, The Department of Dramatic Writing and The Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University. He is a produced and published playwright, screenwriter and television writer. His most recent play, Sparkling Object, had it's world premier in November 2010 at The Canal Park Playhouse. Four of his plays are published by Dramatists Play Service: Men's Singles, The Legendary Stardust Boys, Cash Flow and The Girl Who Loved The Beatles, a One Act two-character play that has become a standard audition piece for actors.

He wrote the screen adaptation of Spinning Into Butter which starred Sarah Jessica Parker. He has worked in television creating two pilots for CBS: The Late Bloomer and Man of the House. He has also written episodes for Herman's Head (FOX) and My Kind of Town (FOX).

He welcomes Followers on his screenwriting blog: SCREENWRITER'S REHAB: FOR SCREENWRITERS WHO CAN'T GET THEIR ACTS TOGETHER

He is a member of The Writers Guild of America and The Dramatists Guild.

You can contact him by Googling Screenwriters Rehab or directly at [e-mail]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Restored My Confidence and Broke Through My Stalled Story in Act III, December 19, 2007

By 

Milli Thornton "author of Fear of Writing: fo... (Youngstown, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Portable Film School: Everything You'd Learn in Film School (Without Ever Going to Class) (Paperback)

This book has two main advantages over other screenwriting books I've read:

(a) The friendly, conversational, humorous and self-effacing style of the author is a wonderful injection of self-confidence that cannot be underestimated.

(b) If, like me, your focus is on screenwriting, this book provides plain-speaking insight into the process of actually making a movie, as both writer and director.

Regarding (b): It had not occurred to me, before Gilles' book, that I needed to concern myself with `making' a movie, only writing one. While I'm confident you can make it as a screenwriter without knowing the deeper merits of film vs. video, etc., this does prompt the newbie screenwriter to think beyond his script to the larger process involved in actually producing that script.

Mind you, I haven't taken his advice and actually made my own movie using a mini-DV camcorder - and, at times, I did have to coach myself to keep going through the film-making parts of the book - but I believe I'm better off knowing this stuff than not.

For me, the juiciest part of this book was when Gilles' advice in Lecture 15, "The Screenplay That Wouldn't End," came at the perfect moment and really saved my bacon.

I was writing my first screenplay from what I thought was a well-rounded treatment. I had the goal of finishing my first draft in one month, and working from the treatment was really making it flow. I never had writer's block, and all my sessions were a joy. I repeatedly racked up days of writing 6-8 pages and was ecstatic with my progress.

Suddenly, somewhere in Act III, I realized that the ending from my treatment was going to be far too insipid and would not do justice to the set-up. I had a vague idea in my mind for a new ending, but this idea involved so many logistics I didn't know how to make it all work. I didn't know how to write it.

I tried everything I could think of - brainstorming, asking my characters what they want, going for long walks, reading advice from screenwriting blogs, getting away from the computer altogether - but I was still stuck. Finally, I decided to use my enforced "down-time" to read Gilles' book. When I got to Lecture 15, this electrifying statement jumped out at me:

"Often, even with a solid outline or three-act storyline, a screenwriter will find herself approaching the middle of Act Three with the horrible realization that the ending she *thought* would happen is no longer the right ending."

What a relief to find out I wasn't alone with this problem. The simple advice given in the remainder of the chapter set me on fire to write my vaguely visualized new ending (first as a new ending for the treatment, and then as the final 30 pages of the script). The act of writing it cleared up the logistical problems and deepened the whole story.

This was not only creatively rewarding, but Gilles' sage advice also allowed me to meet my goal of finishing my first draft in one month.

I have plenty more to learn before I attempt my first rewrite, but this breakthrough has taught me so much and given me a new level of confidence.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for the beginner filmmaker, January 11, 2006

By 

Celeste Thoms "Moviemaker330" (Rochester,NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Portable Film School: Everything You'd Learn in Film School (Without Ever Going to Class) (Paperback)

This was a great book for people who are just getting started. I've read a lot of books on filmmaking and made films, and I think there are better books on the subject. I was also alittle disappointed that a majority of the book talked about screenwriting. I was looking for something that talked more about the overall process. I figured something that talked about the things you learn in film school would discuss everything. But overall it is a good beginner book for the beginner filmmaker.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too much blab not enough substance, March 3, 2006

By 

Imittes "Steadfastread" (East Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Portable Film School: Everything You'd Learn in Film School (Without Ever Going to Class) (Paperback)

Sorry, but I was extremely disappointed by this book. The title is misleading. It's more of an motivational guide for high-schoolers which could have been condensed into a single page. With one exception, the sample screen play excerpts were intructive as to format layout and purpose, but otherwise those too could have been reduced to 3 or 4 pages. The book itself is portable... but I wouldn't pass it on.